The Cummings Foundation granted fifty local nonprofit organizations a cumulative $15 million through its Sustaining Grants program, which provides ongoing funding for 10 years. Each organization’s total grant ranges from $200,000 to $500,000.

Wallace Global Fund as awarded Sunrise Movement the 2019 Henry A. Wallace award. Sunrise Movement has inspired youth activists from across the country to call for bold climate action and has propelled the Green New Deal into the national spotlight. In addition to the $250,000 award, the Fund is committing $750,000 of grants in 2019 to dozens of organizations partnering with Sunrise Movement, to advance the movement for a Green New Deal.

The 10-Minute Walk Campaign—a partnership between The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute—is awarding $400,000 in grants to advance the goal of ensuring that everyone has a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home. The first round of funds will be distributed to eight nonprofits across five major metropolitan areas.

Top celebrity auctioneer Erin Ward raised money to help young women at the Girls Inc. of New York City Annual Spring Gala on May 8th at Cipriani Broadway.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Teachers who have attended Miami EdTech’s EdXpert program

Miami EdTech, an education technology non-profit working to create a world where innovative technologies redefine education, has been awarded a $125,000 grant from Microsoft in support of its new “EdXpert, powered by Microsoft” program.

News about people, groups

Birmingham Zoo’s 18 year old male African elephant Callee, will be moving into a breeding herd at another facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Birmingham Zoo joins the AZA and other zoos around the world in maintaining Species Survival Plan® programs, cooperative breeding and conservation initiatives.

Dr. Dorraya El-Ashry

Breast cancer researcher Dorraya El-Ashry, PhD, has joined the Breast Cancer Research Foundation executive leadership team as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. El-Ashry will work with the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board to set the science vision each year, selecting the world’s best investigators to work on the most promising and urgent research needs, and managing all scientific aspects of the BCRF portfolio of grants.

Aisha Hinds and Oliver Stark, stars of the Fox drama “9-1-1″, helped Red Cross Los Angeles volunteers and staff as they visited homes to install free smoke alarms and educate residents on home fire safety and prevention. The initiative was apart of the Red Cross’s Sound the Alarm campaign, which launched in 2014 to reduce fire deaths and injuries.

National Sawdust’s 2019 Spring Gala: Stretch took place at Sotheby’s on May 7th. The event raised funds to ensure that National Sawdust will continue to build new audiences for classical and new music through supporting emerging artists, programming groundbreaking new music in their state-of-the-art Williamsburg venue, as well as developing and touring new, collaborative music-driven projects.

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s named Russ Paulsen as its new chief operating officer. Paulsen spent nearly two decades in leadership positions at the American Red Cross, served as a vice president at United Way, and most recently was a senior advisor to the Institute for Sustainable Development.

The Destiny Community Center will host its 11th annual patriotic event, Celebrate America. The event will honor our armed forces and first responders, and will include a military flyover demonstration and musical acts.

American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) will celebrate its 19th annual World Turtle Day® on May 23rd. Turtle and tortoise lovers will take “shellfies” and hold shellebrations in the U.S., Canada, Pakistan, Borneo, India, Australia, the UK, Greece and many other countries.

Nonprofit.ist is now live. The online network allows for nonprofits to find experts locally, regionally, and nationally, as well as allow for consultants create custom listings.

The Bridgespan Group has launched Achieving Strategic Clarity, an online and team-based program designed to help nonprofit leaders get clear on the impact they want to achieve for the communities they serve. Registration for the program is open now. Bridgespan will also host a free introductory webinar at 3 pm ET/12 pm PT on May 20th for those curious to learn more.

Delivering Good will host its 13th Annual Women of Inspiration Luncheon on June 12th at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. They will be honoring women in fashion, licensing, entertainment and philanthropy who have helped support their mission throughout the years.

If you are interested in having your organization’s news announced in the next News Bits, please send announcements or press releases to news@philanthropyjournal.org.